Wednesday, 31st October 2018 | Small business financing Canada,Management
Avoid financial penalties: What you need to know about AODA
Small businesses in Ontario have more face-to-face interactions with customers than any other type of business. Whether you refer to these individuals as clients, guests, patients or members, 15 percent of them have a disability.
Small businesses in Ontario have more face-to-face interactions with customers than any other type of business. Whether you refer to these individuals as clients, guests, patients or members, 15 percent of them have a disability.
Disability is a broad definition that goes beyond the physical disabilities we tend to think about. The definition includes both visible and non-visible disabilities such as vision impairments; hearing loss; as well as intellectual, developmental, learning and mental health disabilities.
If you run a business in Ontario you have a vital role to play in making the province accessible. If you are operating outside of Ontario, similar legislation is afoot at the federal level. Whether you have one employee or 100, it’s your responsibility to obey applicable customer service accessibility laws. Failure to comply could result in hefty fines for you as a business owner. Below we provide an overview of the accessibility standards in Ontario, and ways to avoid financial penalty.
About Ontario’s accessibility legislation
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) became law on June 13, 2005. Ontario made history as the first province to pass legislation of this kind. The goal of the legislation is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities. By the year 2025, Ontario should be fully accessible.
The AODA aims to make Ontario accessible in five areas:
- Customer service: Focuses on the business policies and practices that prevent individuals with disabilities from receiving the same level of customer service as others.
- Information and communications: Increases access to information, whether it be in-person, print, online or via phone.
- Employment: Addresses staffing practices, including recruitment, hiring and retention policies.
- Transportation: Ensures accessible transportation, including buses and trains.
- Design of public spaces: Addresses accessibility in buildings and outdoor spaces, including counter height, aisle and door width, and parking.
How to ensure your business is AODA-compliant
Businesses across the province are taking steps to become more accessible and inclusive. Below are some of the most common barriers to accessibility, and how you can work to eliminate them.
Your company website
For many consumers, your website is their first point of contact with you. With so many clients taking to Google to conduct online research, chances are they’ll visit your website before your storefront. There are steps you can take to ensure that everyone, including those who use screen readers, can seamlessly access and use your site.
- Add alternative text to images: Also known as "alt-text," alternative text enables individuals using screen reader software to access the non-text information on your site. This software is not able to describe images or graphics embedded on websites. Adding alt-text to your web graphics help users understand your website’s visual elements, even if they cannot see them.
- Make hyperlinks longer than one word: Users with mobility issues or those who use assistive technology may have difficulty accessing small hyperlinks. Making your website’s hyperlinks more visible, and longer than one word will make it easier to navigate. For example, instead of writing "See the breakfast menu here", write: "See the breakfast menu".
Your storefront or office
Making a good first impression lies in how easy it is for customers or employees using wheelchairs and mobility devices to enter your business. (Added bonus: these modifications will also help customers with baby strollers.) Here are some ways to make your physical space accessible:
- Automatic doors: Ensure all doors in your office or business have visible buttons for assisted entry.
- Ramps: If your front entrance is raised above the curb or sidewalk, purchase and install a ramp to provide an alternative way for people to get in.
- Guide dogs: by law, you must welcome guide dogs and support people to accompany your customers
- Add more room: Overcrowding a space with too many tables, chairs or product displays can create barriers to mobility. Instead, remove unnecessary clutter to open the space and add more room for wheelchairs and mobility devices to get around.
- Accessible restroom: If you don’t have space for an accessible stall in the ladies and men’s room, install a separate washroom that can be used by wheelchair users and families with strollers.
Marketing and signage
Eliminate some barriers to written communication by adapting to the best accessible practices for text.
- Use larger font size: Make fonts larger on signs, menus, and product descriptions so that they are legible and easy to read.
- Use braille: Incorporating braille to signage in your business allows individuals with vision impairments the to understand written material. Consider directional signage (including elevators), restroom signs and any notices at your cash register.
- Use appropriate language: Avoid saying "handicapped" or "disabled," and instead use terms like "accessible" or "individual with a disability."
Your employees
Businesses with 1 to 19 employees must have an accessibility policy and educate staff on the legislation. Adding sensitive training on how to communicate with customers with disabilities is crucial to making your business accessible and openminded. Make your employees prepared to interact with customers who have low vision by being able to read out written documents and offer assistance.
Penalties for non-compliance with the AODA
Failure to comply with standards set out in the AODA can result in hefty fines for you as a business owner. An individual or unincorporated business that is guilty of a major offense under the AODA can be fined up to $50,000 a day until the violation is fixed. In turn, a corporation can be fined up to $100,000 per day. CBC has reported that the fine for violating the federal accessibility law could be as high as $250,000.
Take action to ensure your small business is accessible
If a customer tells you or an employee that an area of your operations is not accessible, consider what they are saying and how you can adapt. Taking strides to make your business accessible today will ensure that you don’t receive any convictions for non-compliance tomorrow.
Inform yourself about the accessibility laws that are in place in the city or region you live in. Visit the Province of Ontario website for complete information about the accessibility laws that Ontario-based businesses are required to follow.
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